Life In Bonita Springs

Life in Bonita Springs on The Imperial River

Many, many years ago when I was seemingly glued to a camera I took this photo.  I was on the red foot trestle bridge at Riverside Park/Depot Park that connects to Island Park.  This man idled by with his cute little dogs, in his canoe and  he was grinning from ear to ear.  I remember it as clear as day. I thought, this photo is exactly what life is like on the Imperial River.  This is Life In Bonita Springs. Sure there are big boats but there are also old timers just taking their dogs for a putt up the river.

Several years after I took this photo I listed a cottage for sale in Nuttinglikit Grove near downtown Bonita Springs, Florida. A widow was moving to the west coast of the United States to be closer to family.  As with most home sales like this, it is a challenge to coordinate the closing with such a huge cross country move; liquidating personal property, hiring a mover, finding just the right home  buyer who would be a little flexible to help this whole transition happen. 

Somewhere in the midst of this transaction a light bulb came on in my head.  I suddenly recalled taking this photo and finally put two and two together. As luck would have it, I was actually selling the home of the man in the photo and his wife of many years. 

Selling a life long home is difficult  and painful for many families.  Even the adult children who were involved with the move had to deal with the changes, the memories, missing their father.  I wasn’t sure if it would be appropriate or upset them but I had several prints made of this photo and gave them to them.  It seemed to be the right thing to do.  In the photo he was over a decade younger and probably healthier than he’d been the last time they saw him and I felt that they would enjoy this candid slice of his life “when he thought that nobody was watching”.

Today one of the children reached out to see if I could have an 8x10 made of it for them.  I’m going to see if I have a copy with higher resolution and without the water marks stored on one of my storage drives.  This photo is a lower resolution from “postcard style” project I made  for some reason. I guess the idea was heaven sent because I don’t remember even really doing it.

Thanks for driving by with your cute little dogs, at just the right time, Ed.   God speed.

Bonita Springs Rec Center | Things to Do With Kids

Did you know that the City of Bonita Springs has a Recreation Center? The Bonita Springs Rec Center is located off West Terry Street on Pine Ave.  There is something for every one at the Rec Center so if you are looking for things to do with kids, this is the place.  

Amenities and features of the Bonita Springs Rec Center include fitness center, community pool, skate park, baseball fields, disc golf course, tennis courts and a playground. Membership is required for to use the Fitness Room, Locker Room/Showers and for Community Pool Activities. Memberships and daily rates are really affordable for an individual annual pass for a property owner the cost is $55.00 and for a non-property owner it is $70.00. A one time day pass is $5.00.

The community pool offers many classes throughout the year as they keep the pool warm all year long. The pool is open Monday-Friday 11:00am-6:30 pm and Saturday 11:00am-6:00 pm. A daily rate is available to non-members Children 17 and under - $1.50 Adults - $2.50 and Seniors 55 and up- $2.00.

The B3 skate park is a great place for the older kids to practice their skateboarding and bike tricks. Skateboard sessions are Monday,Wednesday,Friday 4:00-8:00pm and Saturday 1:00-8:00pm. Bicycle sessions are Tuesday and Thursday 4:00-8:00pm. You must bring your own skateboard or bike as there are no rentals or borrowing of equipment. If you are under the age of 18 a parent or guardian is required to sign a waiver which can be obtained inside the rec center. HELMETS MUST BE WORN AND STRAPPED AT ALL TIMES. An unlimited membership to the skate park is $20.00 a year or you can pay a daily rate of $1.00.

Our favorite park about the recreation center is the BRAND new playground that was fall of 2017. We absolutely love the new rubber flooring for safer tumbles and falls. They have new climbing equipment for the younger children and more advanced equipment the older children. There is picnic tables for a snack break or lunch in between playtime.

The Bonita Springs library is also on the same street which you can read about here: Bonita Springs Library.  A new library is being build in the Old 41 corridor of Downtown Bonita Springs.

Other great outside activities include the tennis courts, baseball fields and the 9 hole disc golf course that wraps around the lake. There is no charge to use the tennis courts or the disc golf course. You can keep up with the baseball/little league schedule by checking out their Facebook page www.facebook.com/BonitaSpringsLittleLeague.

See you at the Bonita Springs Rec Center! 

To contact the Bonita Springs Parks Department and the Bonita Springs Rec Center: 

Phone: (239) 992-2556

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About the Author - Jenna Hatfield is a life-long resident of Bonita Springs, Florida and mother of two boys.

August Bonita Springs Real Estate Statistics

This real estate market update is a few days late due to Hurricane Irma. Thanks for hanging in there!  We were slightly off with closed sales in the Bonita Springs – Estero Florida real estate market. The buyers had an unusual vibe this year.  From my experience as a listing agent I can tell you that buyers were throwing out low offers and walking away if there was a counter offer because they felt they had the time to test the market. I can also share that since the hurricane has passed we have had buyers back in force.

It was a bumpy ride into mid-September but those who are savvy enough to calculate closings on a calendar know that if they are buying with a mortgage or even if they pay cash but are buying in an HOA or Condo association there will be 30 days to wait to process the application or transaction.  For those who intend on wintering in Bonita Springs they’re either locking down or on the verge of locking down their housing.

The car haulers are back in town already and things are moving again.  The numbers will be interesting next month.  We will be down one week of shopping time due Irma.  This month the units sold is slightly off. You can download the graphs by clicking on the photo album. Our distressed sales are still about 1.5% of the real estate market, or less. There is no rhyme or reason to foreclosures as the handful of them were sprinkled from The Colony to Vasari to Fountain Lakes.

The homes and condos that did close sale were paid for mostly with cash – 54% followed by conventional mortgages – 35%.  Of those homes and condos that closed sale a whopping 69% of them were priced under $400,000.  Entry level priced properties are ruling the market.

Next month’s numbers should really be interesting with this storm mixing things up. 

If you’d like to learn more about buying or selling a homes in this unusual Bonita Springs real estate market give Chris or Angela a call/text at 239-273-7430.

Things to Do With Kids | Bonita Springs Public Library

I am always trying to come up with ideas to keep the kids interested, occupied, preferably learning something and happy. We recently made a trip to the LIBRARY! It’s free and my kids could stay there for hours looking through the movies, books, magazines and playing on the computer.

Lisa the librarian who works on the youth side of the library is very nice and interactive with the kids. She understands that learning and reading can be exciting and not always super quiet. Lisa sat with us and went over the newest rewards program promoting parents and children to read 1000 books before kindergarten. “Experts agree that this goal will help create a solid foundation for children as they begun to read.” All you have to do is read together, fill out the bubble sheet handed out to you, and when you finish 100 books bring the sheet and she will stamp your rewards paper. Keep repeating the steps until you get to 1,000 books and you will have collected all 10 stamps! We signed up for our library card and checked out three great books to start with.

*This information was found on the www.leegov.com Bonita Springs Library site*

Library cards are issued for free to people 18 years or older all you have to do is :

Show proof of residency in Lee County

Are employed in Lee County

Own property or a business in Lee County

Are students in Lee County

Non-residents may obtain a library card for a fee:

Non residents must show identification and apply for a card in person. Library card applications cannot be submitted by fax or through the mail. Two types of cards are available:

Visitor Card — $15 (valid for three months) Additional consecutive months can be purchased for $5 each

Non-resident Card — $60 (valid for one year)

Toddler/Preschool Story Times:

Baby Rhyme Time: Wednesdays @ 10:30 am

Toddler Tales: Wednesdays @ 11:00 am

We attended Toddler Tales on a Wednesday morning with about 10 other children and their mom’s,dad’s,grandparents, and nannies. Lisa started off with a welcome song which included singing and dancing. We then all sat for a story which Lisa read and used puppets to interact with the children. They did a couple more interactive songs and then closed it out with a goodbye song. We had such a great time in the 20-30 minutes we were there we definitely will be back for Wednesday mornings. I think this is great time for grandparents and parents that isn't overwhelming for everyone and did I mention FREE!? Following the Toddler tales a lot of the families walked over to the brand new park/playground across the street and enjoyed a play date.

The Bonita Springs library also thirty computers that have internet access, print and scan capabilities, meeting room availability, and Wi-Fi to library card holders.

The City of Bonita Springs has a new library on plan to be built in Downtown Bonita Springs redevelopment area near the banyan tree and Riverside Park.  The date for completion is to be determined.  The address and current hours of the Bonita Public Library are:

26876 Pine Avenue

Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday 10:00am-6:00pm

Tuesday 12:00pm to 8:00pm

Friday and Saturday 9:00am-5:00pm

Sunday CLOSED

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About the Author - Jenna Hatfield is a life-long resident of Bonita Springs, Florida and mother of two boys. 

Downing Frye Bonita Springs Florida People's Choice

Thank you Southwest Florida for voting Downing Frye Realty for fifteen year in a row.  The Griffith Girls are proud to be members of such an esteemed real estate office. Our home is the Bonita Springs office located at the corner of Coconut Road and US 41 near Coconut Point Mall. 

Opinion: Decorator Shortcut in Bonita Springs Homes

When I thought of writing this piece on “peel and stick” bricks it was going to be more of a warning to consumers about knowing when a trending look in décor has neared the end of it’s cycle.  That is still the case but I discovered a practical reason to use it, for my own Bonita Springs home, during the process.

Glass tile back splash has been the rage for a while and while I was at a party at someone’s house they showed me their new glass back splash. I get to go into a lot of homes in Bonita Springs and have seen a lot of kitchens.  This one didn’t grab my eye. It was lovely enough but it wasn’t until the home owner showed me that it was peel and stick that it grabbed my attention.

I honestly couldn’t tell the difference between real & peel until they pointed it out specifically. My first thought was “when any décor gets to peel & stick status it’s out of fashion”. I might have been wrong.  I imagine that there are better peel and stick wall tiles than others and it would depend upon the application but I now can see where it may be useful.

A home I purchased as a resale in Bonita Farms, the Imperial River East area of Bonita Springs, has black Silestone counters. It’s not what I would pick in a million years, first because it’s black but second because it has these dusty flakes in it so it always looks like there are crumbs on it. At any rate, the home owner before me installed black Silestone counters and also ran it up the back splash. It is d.a.r.k. in that kitchen.

This home has been a work in progress so the guy I call for all of the work was over and I asked if he could take the back splash out, which he could, but he may damage the drywall. Flash forward to today and “what if” I just peel and stick tile the backsplash in a nice almond subway tile to match the almond cabinets?  It’s the perfect spot … smooth, flat surface to stick to, no drywall dust, no costly repairs. It’s a win/win in my book.  How do you think it will look?

If I had plain drywall to cover I would put in real tile or stone but since I’m doing a visual correction, which could be temporary, I’ll try the peel & stick. Besides, I’ve shoveled a fair amount of money into this project, already. Those white 1990's floor tiles had to go!  Besides, who’s to say the next owner wouldn’t want the black Silestone splash, right?   

So what do you think about a peel and stick backsplash?  Fabulous or Fad?

Now, I haven’t bitten the bullet and done it yet. It’s on my radar and I’ll start shopping the tiles at the local Home Depot and Lowes.  We’ll see how it goes with selection. There seems to be a lot of choices available online.  If you’ve used peel & stick tile comment and let me know how it turned out.

Protecting Your Home From Palm Rats in Bonita Springs

One of the critters that folks in Bonita Springs have to deal with from time to time is rats.  If you’re a nature lover like me and you feed birds, a side effect of bird seed is … rats.  I love feeding my birds and gardening.  I love the birds more than I hate the rats so I keep feeding the birds. I use the best possible practices to reduce making it easy for them to get to the food and not build nests in or around the house. 

The other day I was showing property to buyers in Hawthorne in Bonita Springs, Florida. When I pulled into the driveway I noticed that the downspout which was directed to spill the water onto the driveway caught my eye.  There was a mesh “rat deterrent” inside of it.  Technically, it’s a gutter strainer but it’s perfect for keeping rats out.

Now, I don’t know why I’ve never noticed them before. I’ve been in every neighborhood in Bonita Springs and Estero, Florida and never seen them before.

A quick Google search alter I was able to locate them for sale at Sunshine Ace Hardware store on Bonita Beach Road.  They’re only about $4.00 per unit. They can be expanded to fit any size downspout or lodged in the top opening to keep leaves and debris from clogging the downspout, too.

Eh, it’s just a little something that I thought was interesting for homeowners in Bonita Springs. If you live in SWFL rats are not uncommon.  These expandable gutter strainers are a great tool for interrupting the secret routes of rodents.  Of course it would be most helpful if you would also employ best practices of putting away anything rats would find interesting to eat or build a nest in.  You should also trim your foliage so it doesn’t touch the house and plug any holes in the eves, siding, drain/spigot openings with steel wool so they can’t easily get in.

Twelve Hacks to Survive Bonita Springs Tourist Season

1. Doctors in Bonita Springs Area - Make as many medical and dental appointment as possible “off season” between May and October. “In season” make them as early as possible as schedules spin out of control as the day progresses.

2. Grocery Stores in Bonita Springs - Trips to the grocery are painful when the isles are crowded. Take advantage of a meal delivery service such as HelloFresh or Blue Apron at the very least during the peak winter season of January, February and March. Shopping during the day avoids the after-hours work force crowds.  If  you like shopping sale items, BOGO’s or specialty items like Fresh Market crab cakes, get there early or go home empty handed.  Publix has a great app where you can find coupons and order your deli items for pickup in the cooler beside the deli. Your order, even custom sandwiches will be waiting for you when you arrive.

3. Drugs and Medication - Take advantage of pharmacies who will deliver your prescriptions. Walgreens, for example, has both a phone app and option for delivery to the home. When you order your scripts online it will provide a location for you to choose a store for pick up or another button for mailing the prescription to your home or P.O. box. Your local pharmacist likely doesn't know about the option.  You can download the app from your phone provider app store.  Brooks Pharmacy is a local pharmacy with delivery services.

4. Driving in Lee County – Getting anywhere takes longer in the winter. It just does.  Avoid driving south 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m.   Avoid driving north 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. Those are the rush hour drive times. A good portion of the work force in Naples lives out of the area, partly due to real estate prices.  On 41 the middle lane is the fast lane as the drivers in the left and right lanes are looking for where they need to turn to get where they need to go.  Learn to identify the markings of rental cars and try to not get stuck behind them No smoking sticker on glass, “Sunshine State plate and sensors on windshields. Use the waze app for commuting to avoid accidents in major arteries. Most of the time you can turn right on red. The person in the roundabout has the right of way; don’t stop in the circle to let people in.

5. Dining in Bonita Springs/Naples – If you must eat out, learn to use the “Open Table” app for reservations.  Consumers can scan for last minute dining reservations of any restaurant that may have table times available.

6. Southwest Florida Growing Season – If you want a little back yard garden keep in mind that summer in Bonita Springs is sort of like winter up north.  Instead of too cold, it’s too hot to grow plants unless it’s orchids. It also rains … a lot.  Our produce/vegetable growing season starts in the fall and runs through spring.  Starting in the fall there are farmer’s markets sprinkled around town nearly every day of the week. Farmer Mikes on Morton Road in Bonita Springs, Florida is open by November and also has a u-pick option.

7. Biking around Bonita – we have a lot of bike lines and great sidewalks but the drivers, many of whom are from outside of the area, unfamiliar with the area and often distracted.  Defensive riding is a must.  Don’t trust that they saw that you have the cross walk signal.

8. Boating and Fishing in Bonita Springs – Many bays and water ways become idle speed in the winter to protect the manatee that come inland because the water is warmer.  Book a boat rental weeks out during the winter season.  You can rent a boat or join a boat club at Baywater.  A license is needed for fishing in most circumstances. For fishing licenses and advise visit Sunshine Ace Hardware in Bonita Springs across the street from the USPS.

9. Bonita Springs Beaches – Bonita Beach and Barefoot Beach are crowed in the winter. You weren’t the only person who wanted to get warm in the winter.  Go to the beach off of peak hours and you may be able to find a parking spot.  If you’re consider purchasing a home or condo in Bonita Springs considering purchasing in a community with a beach club membership that has shuttle service.  Keep in mind that we are projected to grow for the next 20+ years due to the boomer population and the access to the beach is going to become more difficult than it already is. Here’s a list: Bonita Springs Communities with Beach Club Access. Live shell removal is prohibited. If a sand dollar is not totally white it is still alive. If it stains your fingers yellow or orange it’s alive. Throw it back in.

10. Bonita Springs Festivals and Fairs – our “summer” or comfortable weather is actually in the winter so that is when our outdoor events are planned. They typically begin in November and run through April.  Follow the Bonita Springs Estero Community Forum to learn of upcoming events.

11. Download individual restaurant apps for establishments who allow you to order online for easy pickup. For example, Tropical Smoothie cafe allows you to order and pay online and then pick up your sandwich or smoothie in the fast pickup lane.

12. Register at www.USPS.com and subscribe to informed delivery so that you know what is coming in the mail, either at your home or your PO Box before you have to drive in congested traffic.  You can also order stamps online through the site, too!  There are a lot of postal services available online that can reduce your time on the road.

If you’d like to learn more about making the city of Bonita Springs your home call or text Chris Griffith at 239-273-7430.

Bonita Springs Communities With Beach Club Memberships

There are only a hand full of Golf and Country Club communities in Bonita Springs with private or semi-private beach access.  Beach access will become quite a hot commodity in the near future so it is important to know which communities provide beach access or sell beach club memberships.  In the Bonita Springs and Estero, Florida are there are a few communities that offer a variety of golf, beach and even boating access. Most clubs are on Bonita Beach or Barefoot Beach.  Tarpon Cove provides access via Wiggins Pass.

• West Bay Club in Estero – Golf, Beach Club & Boat Storage/Boat Ramp
• Shadow Wood at the Brooks – Golf, Beach Membership Available
• Pelican Landing Golf and Country Club – Golf, Beach Island & Club
• The Colony Golf and Bay Club -  Golf, Beach Island & Club
• Bonita Bay Golf and Country Club – Golf, Beach Club, Marina
• Mediterra Golf and Country Club – Golf, Beach Club
• Spanish Wells Golf and Country Club – Member Access to Tarpon Cove Yacht Club
• Barefoot Beach Club – An equity, private beach club located in the community of Barefoot Beach. – Membership Purchase
• Tarpon Cove Yacht and Racquet Club – Dining, beach and beach shuttle in North Naples, Florida. – Membership Purchase

The Summer Bonita Springs Real Estate Statistics

First and foremost, ninety-two percent of the closed sales in Bonita Springs and Estero, Florida this month were priced under $600,000.  This was officially the summer of the bargain hunters. I’ve noticed on more than one occasion that a couple of my listings had plenty of shoppers but no buyers. Certain price points simply didn’t shake loose this summer.

We are now rounding the bend into fall. The car haulers start showing up at the end of August and that strikes an immediate uptick in “move around” buyers who may already have a place here but may be moving up or down in housing size. 

Our units sold this month isn’t off, it’s just that the sales were all on the affordable side.  The bottom continues to sell off.  Properties in price points that are struggling will sell but it will take patience for the buyers to return. 

Eighty-seven percent of closed sales have been funded with cash or conventional mortgages. FHA isn’t a viable product in this area due to the price cap and the requirements of homes to be able to pass the FHA inspection.  Typically, the entry level priced homes have a few issues that render them unable to pass the inspection.  (government guidelines)  The same with VA.  We don’t have a lot of VA mortgages but the inspection period is typically the hang-up with regard to that product funding in the Bonita Springs and Estero, Florida area.

Fewer than 2% of our listings and even the closed sales are considered distressed.  That’s a great sign.  Sellers aren’t competing with foreclosures and short sales.  Buyers with grit may hang in there for a short sale or foreclosure but those properties aren’t always the best deal, at this point.

In all, there have been struggles for Bonita Springs properties priced over $600,000 across the board.  It will pick up again. 

Luxury properties are selling but the uber luxury properties are only accounting for about three percent of closed sales.  It’s a fairly small slice of the pie so any buyer looking for luxury real estate from the price point of the about the $700,000’s must obtain an absorption rate to make sure they do not have more leverage and bargaining power.

If you’d like to learn more about the latest statistics in your neighborhood or a specific area of Bonita Springs call or text Chris at 239-273-7430 or Angela at 239-728-7599.